Chapter 7: Court Confrontation

Dong Zhuo stood before the Dragon Throne, looking down on the officials; his ugly broad face was full of mockery and contempt toward everyone, his words and deeds revealing his thoughts, openly expressing his desire for the throne without concealment.

"You all lift your heads for me; today I'll let you see this worthless emperor you loyalists support, see if he's even qualified to sit on the Dragon Throne again and rule as emperor of the Han Empire!"

Dong Zhuo burst into laughter, addressing the officials below.

"Ah, traitor, traitor!"

"Heavens, please save the Han!"

"Ancestors of the Han, please save the Han!"

"Former emperor, this old servant is incapable!"

Upon hearing Dong Zhuo's words, the officials felt stifled in their hearts, could only pray inwardly, having no power to resist, they lifted their heads and gazed helplessly at Liu Bian outside the hall.

"Hiss… This is His Majesty!!!"

The next moment, a sound of drawing in cold breath echoed among the officials.

Dong Zhuo heard the officials' voices, turned his head to look outside the grand hall: "Hiss, how, how is this possible!"

Outside the hall stood a youth in a dragon robe, wearing an imperial crown, handsome; his rich imperial aura spread out, as if a heavenly emperor suppressing the nine heavens and ten earths.

His whole body burst forth with ten-zhang divine radiance, making people unable to resist the urge to bow and worship.

And outside the hall, the already transformed Liu Bian had long heard Dong Zhuo's words; he could clearly sense all the officials' various emotions.

"What, Dong Zhuo, you're really this impatient? Well, that'll disappoint you!"

Liu Bian unleashed his full aura, standing outside the grand hall with a cold gaze at Dong Zhuo before the Dragon Throne, his killing intent soaring to the heavens.

"What?"

Although Dong Zhuo has now been corrupted by power, he was once at least a mighty general who shocked Xiliang; as a warrior, he still had some sense of danger, just as Liu Bian looked at him.

In an instant, he felt a dangerous light fall upon him, as if being stared at by a primordial ferocious beast.

In his panic, he drew his waist sword, eyes fixed on Liu Bian; this worthless emperor has truly changed too much.

He felt today's affair would not end well, unsure whether this worthless emperor was merely putting on a show or had truly grown stronger.

"A worthless thing actually gives me such a dangerous feeling; it seems after deposing the emperor this time I must execute him immediately, cannot keep him, otherwise he'll become a great calamity."

Suppressing the fear in his heart, Dong Zhuo stared at Liu Bian with eyes full of killing intent.

Thud, thud, thud!

Liu Bian withdrew his gaze, not lingering outside the hall, he stepped forward with steady pace, walking into the Court Hall.

Along the way, all officials made way, bending low and bowing to Liu Bian; the tap-tap of his footsteps rang loudly inside the grand hall.

Liu Bian's petite figure, at this moment in everyone's eyes, was so noble, like a heavenly emperor descending to the dust, beyond precious.

At this moment, Liu Bian's face was full of majesty; every gesture brimmed with the aura of a superior, his whole body exuding imperial might.

"Is, is this still His Majesty?"

The officials widened their eyes, watching Liu Bian enter the hall; their expressions varied, but they all shared one point: they were all shocked by Liu Bian's performance.

You know, Liu Bian's image in people's minds before was not like this; formerly he was timid and weak, always yielding, let alone facing a court of hundreds.

Even if someone acted a little fierce, they might be scared to tears.

But now, just from the aura Liu Bian displays, his presence is even greater than that of the former emperor; if this isn't an emperor, then no one could be.

Now Liu Bian is exactly the imperial image the officials fantasized about, even more perfect.

"Li Ru, you scoundrel, didn't you say everything was arranged? What's going on with this young emperor! This young emperor absolutely cannot be kept; he must be eliminated immediately!!!"

Unlike the officials, seeing Liu Bian's mighty performance, Dong Zhuo felt a hint of regret welling up in his heart.

He felt he had been played by Liu Bian; Liu Bian's past behavior must have been an act; initially he shouldn't have listened to his subordinates' advice, should have killed him then, not kept him until now.

"But trash is trash; even if you disguise yourself well, what does it matter? Now all of Luoyang is under my control, plus hundreds of thousands of Xiliang iron cavalry; even if you hide deeply, what can you rely on to resist me?"

Dong Zhuo put away his regret, finally finding a reason to console himself.

Seeing Liu Bian already seated on the Dragon Throne, Dong Zhuo immediately gave Li Ru a glance; Li Ru understood at once.

Liu Bian sat on the Dragon Throne, his gaze indifferent as he watched the performance of Dong Zhuo and Li Ru.

"Please invite the Prince of Chen Liu into the hall…"

Li Ru immediately stepped out, slightly bowed, clasped his fists, and loudly shouted toward outside the grand hall.

Hiss, hiss, hiss.

With a rush of footsteps, outside the hall a dozen eunuchs and palace maids escorted a young, small-bodied boy wearing a dragon robe and an imperial crown as he walked in.

This person is none other than Liu Bian's half-brother, the Prince of Chen Liu appointed by Emperor Ling Liu Hong, Liu Xie.

"Is, this isn't the Prince of Chen Liu?"

"Yes, what's going on, how can the Prince of Chen Liu wear a dragon robe and enter the hall; this is rebellion!"

Many officials loyal to the Han spoke with faces full of fear; they still didn't understand, but from seeing the Prince of Chen Liu enter the hall they knew the rebel was likely to carry out the act of usurping the Han and establishing a new dynasty.

Seeing this, most officials' faces turned pale with extreme fear, angry beyond endurance, wanting to loudly protest.

But upon seeing Dong Zhuo, Li Ru, and the Xiliang army soldiers garrisoned in the grand hall, they fell silent again.

You know, since Dong Zhuo entered the capital, any official who opposed him has been executed; they dare not take this risk.

"Three days ago, His Majesty told me, this emperor feels uneasy; today he wishes to abdicate in favor of the Prince of Chen Liu, gentlemen, hurry and pay respects to the new emperor."

Dong Zhuo pointed at Liu Xie, addressing the people in the hall, his icy gaze fixed on them, his eyes full of warning.

"May I ask, Prime Minister, what does this mean? When did His Majesty ever say such a thing?"

"Moreover, His Majesty is the Han emperor personally appointed by the former emperor; now, Prime Minister, are you trying to force His Majesty to abdicate? If you have such intent, please excuse us for not agreeing."

As Dong Zhuo's words just fell, an elderly official in court robes stepped out with a resolute face; this was none other than the Minister who once led the army to suppress the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Lu Zhi, who asked Dong Zhuo.

"We do not agree!" Before Dong Zhuo could answer, another voice of righteousness rose from below.

This person is none other than the current Grand Commander Yang Biao; Yang Biao's tone was firm, his whole body filled with unyielding resolve.

"Grand Commander… Lu Zhi's eyes were filled with excitement."

"We do not agree!"

As Lu Zhi and Yang Biao's words fell, the ministers below who were loyal to the Han dynasty immediately shouted, their tone firm and uniform; as long as someone took the lead, most of them were still loyal to the Han dynasty.

"You, you all, you actually dare to defy our lord's orders!"

Dong Zhuo never expected these officials to defy his orders, and he roared with a face full of anger.

"We do not agree!" Minister of Works Lu Zhi, Grand Commandant Yang Biao, Master of Ceremonies Wang Yun and others seemed to have already put life and death aside, ignoring Dong Zhuo's murderous gaze, their tone firm and expressions solemn as they shouted again.